Van Halen

Van Halen III

I always liked it

Review Score:

(8/10)
This album has the reputation as being one of the worst albums in the history of rock. Part of the criticism is legitimate. The production on this album could have been better and at times the music seems disjointed. However, despite it's faults, I really like this album. A lot of VH fans disliked this album because it doesn't sound like a traditional Van Halen album. This is certainly true. Many of the songs are over five minutes, and have intricate solo's. If you listen to this album with an open mind, and forget your preconceived notions about what Van Halen "should" sound like, you will hopefully enjoy this CD. It is very adventurous and Eddie's playing is fantastic, as usual. The whole album is full of good hooks and creativity. Gary Cherone's singing has been criticized for sounding out of range, as though he were trying to sing like Sammy Hagar. However, if you listen to Extreme's fourth album, Waiting for the Punchline, you will see that Gary Cherone also sings similarly there. I thought that Gary did a fine job on this album. He brought intelligent lyrics and a new element to the band. I think the Gary Cherone lineup of VH had real potential and I would have loved to of heard the followup to this album.

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